


Secrets and Sequins

by lectora13



Category: Glee
Genre: AU, F/F, Romance, Secret Relationship, post-college
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:28:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27906736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lectora13/pseuds/lectora13
Summary: Quinn is nominated for an Emmy Award in a night that will change everything for her and Rachel's relationship. Will they make it out unscathed?
Relationships: Rachel Berry/Quinn Fabray
Comments: 18
Kudos: 96





	Secrets and Sequins

**Author's Note:**

> A decade shipping Faberry, yet this is the very first time I write a fic for them. It's my first finished fic, actually. English is not my first language, so be nice.

She closes her eyes as the town car hits yet another bump, the movement rattling her teeth. Quinn lets the air out slowly, cheeks puffed out, in an attempt to calm her nerves.

The designer clutch on her lap starts vibrating insistently. Trembling hands reach for the cell phone inside and a soft smile appears almost instantly after seeing who is calling her.

"Hey", she greets softly.

_"How are you holding up? Are you nervous?"_

"Terrified."

_"Don't be. You've got this, baby."_

Quinn’s answer was automatic.

"There’s no way I’m going to win."

_"Not with that attitude."_

Quinn closes her eyes, her shoulders slumping as the tension leaves her body at the petulant tone on the other side of the line.

“Sweetie, I appreciate how highly you think of me, I do, but I’m just being realistic. Do you really think they’re going to give an Emmy to a newcomer going up against established actors like Elizabeth Moss or Julianne Moore?” Quinn shakes her head lightly. “I’m just honored to be nominated.”

She smiles when she hears the indignant huff. Perhaps it was time to change the subject. No matter how much time would pass, Quinn still hated talking about herself as much as she did in high school.

“How about you? Are you nervous about presenting?”

_“Are you kidding? All the talent in that theatre —producers, actors, directors— looking at me... I was born for this!”_

She smiles. She had known that would be the answer she’d get.

“I, for one, can’t wait to see you up there, giving the award to Elizabeth Moss.”

_“Quinn, you’re impossible! ”_

Quinn’s body shakes with silent laughter.

“Listen, I have to go, we are almost at the entrance. I’ll look for you inside, ok?”

_“Okay, baby. Love you.”_

She closes her eyes for a second and wonders if that feeling will ever fade, the warmth bursting from her chest and overwhelming her synapses every time she hears those words. Quinn hopes it never does.

“I love you too, Rachel.”

==============

Quinn knows she can fake it. She walks that red carpet like she owns it, and poses with the confidence that a face and a figure like hers grants her. She knows she looks good, and hopefully no one will be able to tell that this is her first awards ceremony —on the west coast, that is.

Rachel is the proud recipient of a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award, and Quinn had attended both ceremonies, sitting by her girlfriend as Broadway discovered what Quinn had known since she was sixteen: Rachel Berry was a star.

Today she feels Rachel’s absence acutely. Rachel had been insistent about getting ready in different hotel rooms, and riding to the theatre in different cars. Quinn had almost whimpered and stomped her foot when her girlfriend had first brought up the idea, but she knew it made sense.

They had been dating since their third year of college, and their friends and family knew —the important ones anyway. But to Hollywood, to their growing fanbases, to the rest of the world, Quinn and Rachel existed as independent individuals that would occasionally get spotted together around the theatre district, in New York.

They hated it. The separate cars, the limited outings, the entering and leaving restaurants through different doors. It’s not that they were that famous, but they would be. Rachel was already getting recognized back home in New York, and Quinn’s agent has been working on building her public image to give her a fighting chance during award season — late night talk shows, exclusive parties, pap walks. Quinn was everywhere, overnight, and that meant spending less time with Rachel. Quinn hated that the most.

Once the last interview is done, she rushes inside the theatre and looks around the lobby, searching for a glimpse of silver sequins and silky black waves cascading down a tan, exposed back.

“Hello, gorgeous.”

Quinn yelps, startled by Rachel’s sudden presence behind her. She turns around to find her girlfriend looking at her appreciatively, licking her lips.

“I wish I could kiss you. I wanna kiss you so badly.” Rachel shuts her eyes tightly, as if just uttering those words hurt her.

“I know, sweetie. Me too. You look…” Quinn lets out a small sigh, out of words, as she often is when standing in front of Rachel. “You’re so beautiful.”

Rachel lowers her head bashfully, her entire bravado dissipating as Quinn compliments her. She always enjoys being able to disarm Rachel like that.

The first time she had made the trip from New Haven to New York, Rachel had smiled so widely at her and hugged her so tightly, Quinn had stopped breathing for what felt like minutes.

And when they drew apart and she saw the way Rachel’s eyes were shining as she took Quinn in, as if making sure she was really there and not a figment of her overactive imagination, Quinn had decided then and there that she would spend the rest of her life making sure Rachel forgot every name Quinn had ever called her in high school.

“Come on, let’s go find our seats!”

Rachel’s voice brings Quinn back to the present, the warmth of Rachel’s fingers tangling with hers as she is being pulled along grounds her enough to fix her posture and walk down the theatre with the same fake confidence she exuded earlier on the red carpet.

==============

Quinn smiles politely at the actress to her left before looking around nervously. Rachel had left during the last commercial break to get ready to present her category, _Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Series Or Movie_. In that moment, Quinn wishes she hadn’t accepted the offer.

Traditionally, the winner of last year’s lead actor in a limited series would be presenting the women’s category, but he’s currently caught in some sexual harassment scandal that caused him to drop out last minute.

Some executives at ABC, the network airing the ceremony, had decided it would be perfect to offer the presenting gig to Rachel, who was currently filming a very anticipated three episode arc for the network’s flagship series, seeing this as the perfect opportunity for promotion.

Rachel of course had jumped at the opportunity to present, especially since it was the category her girlfriend was nominated for, and Quinn had supported her decision one hundred percent. Until now, minutes away from Quinn’s big moment, with sweaty palms and a dry throat reminding her this was possibly the most crucial moment in her career.

Quinn wishes Rachel was there to hold her hand, to smile at her and remind her that her worth wasn’t defined by this award, and that her career wouldn’t just suddenly stop if she didn’t win tonight.

She wasn’t kidding all those times she had told Rachel she wouldn’t win. Quinn was convinced she couldn’t. But now that she’s so close to that moment, she has to admit she wants it. She really, _really_ wants it.

She should have written a speech. God, why didn’t she write a speech? Because Elizabeth Moss and Julianne Moore, that’s why. Quinn shakes her head and lets out a slow breath.

Rachel walks out with a bright smile and perfect posture, holding the envelope in her hands and stopping right in front of the microphone.

Quinn thinks she feels her heart skip a beat in the millisecond before Rachel starts speaking and her theatre voice booms from the microphone, reaching every corner of the Nokia Theatre.

Quinn isn’t paying attention to the words, she doesn’t even remember clapping as Rachel announces the nominees one by one. Her eyes are fixed on Rachel and the way her smile turns warmer, softer, when she says her name.

“And the _Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Series Or Movie_ goes to…”

Quinn holds her breath as Rachel’s eyes frantically move over the letters for a second too long.

“...Quinn Fabray.”

And then it happens.

Rachel closes her eyes and the softest smile appears on her face as she leans into the microphone.

“...Quinn Fabray.”

The room erupts in cheers, and Quinn feels a pair of strong arms wrapping around her body. Her director, Matt, she thinks. She’s honestly too stunned to know. She keeps looking at Rachel as she’s ushered down the aisle to the stairs.

By the time she makes it to the stage, Rachel is already holding the Emmy, almost bouncing on her feet. Quinn can feel the nervous energy radiating from her small body as her smile widens.

Quinn sinks into Rachel’s arms, her hand sprawled on her back, crushing her girlfriend’s petite body against hers, while she holds the heavy award with her other hand, arm limp to the side.

“You did it, baby”, Rachel whispers in her ear, almost in awe.

That’s when it really sinks in. Quinn won. Rachel is hugging her on national television in front of all their peers, and Quinn is required to speak.

And really, what kind of moron doesn’t write a speech?

==============

Her hand delicately brushes a strand of hair off her face as she looks into the audience, suddenly thankful that the lights are so bright she can’t really tell who is who. Her hands grip the Emmy until her knuckles turn white, and everyone is waiting for her to say something.

“I don’t have a speech,” her outburst is so sudden that people don’t know how to react.

She can see Rachel off the corner of her eye —she has walked closer to her, breaking etiquette— and hears her gorgeous laugh, which seems to encourage the audience to relax and laugh as well.

God, Quinn loves her so much

“I don’t have a speech because I’m just a girl from Lima, Ohio, who never thought she’d make it out of there.”

Quinn takes a shuddering breath and looks to her side, at Rachel. Her rock, her cheerleader, the love of her life.

“I wouldn’t be here without you. You were the first person that made me believe I was something more than a Lima loser. You taught me how to dream.”

Quinn’s voice cracks, and Rachel has lost all sense of etiquette by now. Her tears are flowing freely down her face, the lights turning her brown eyes into bright reflective pools, and Quinn just wants to dive into their depth and never come up to the surface.

“Rachel, this award is yours. For some strange reason you _saw me_ , when I didn’t even know who I was.”

Quinn extends her hand and Rachel grabs it in a tight grip, eyes fixed on hers, and Quinn can feel the entire world fade around them, until there’s just them. Their love spreads from their joined hands into their bodies, like a current.

“Thank you for never giving up on me. I wouldn’t be here, on this stage, without you. I love you.”

She turns to the audience as her arm wraps around Rachel’s shoulders, bringing her into her body.

“To all those lost girls who don’t think they can do it, I did it. You can do it too. Thank you.”

She doesn’t hear the applause, or the music indicating the show is going into another commercial break. The only things she can feel are her heart, beating wildly in her ears, and Rachel’s arms circling her waist as they make it backstage.

There’s a flurry of activity around them and Rachel is torn almost violently from her side as Quinn is ushered towards the green room. She stops on her tracks and looks behind her, extending her hand for Rachel to take.

She needs to keep that connection to her girlfriend so she doesn’t float away.

Marvin, her and Rachel’s agent, appears in front of them and stops them before they can enter the press room where people are anxiously waiting for Quinn to answer their questions and pose with her award.

“First of all, congratulations. I knew you’d do it! However, I don’t know if you’re aware of what you just did up there."

Quinn’s lips purse slightly as she tries to recall the last five minutes of her life. Rachel gasps, letting go of Quinn and bringing her hands to cover her mouth.

“What? What did I-?”

Quinn is frantic now, trying to figure out why her agent and her girlfriend are freaking out, when it dawns on her.

“Oh god.”

Quinn’s eyes open almost comically, and Rachel just laughs. She laughs until Quinn is laughing with her and tears are threatening to roll down their faces again.

“I’m so sorry, Rachel. I wasn’t thinking. I don’t know how- I-”

Rachel shakes her head and moves closer to Quinn, grabbing her girlfriend’s hand again between hers.

“It’s okay, baby. I loved every word you said. I’m so, so proud of you. Of us. Whatever you want to do, I’m there with you. One hundred percent.”

Quinn bites her lower lip, a nervous habit she has yet to shake off. She takes a second to think before she turns to Marvin.

“I say we go for broke. All my dreams have already come true.” She turns to look at Rachel now, “Even the ones I didn’t know I wanted. I don’t want to hide anymore.”

Marvin looks at them with a soft smile, giving them one last silent chance to change their minds.

“Okay. I’ll let the vultures know.”

Quinn chuckles and turns to Rachel as soon as Marvin leaves them alone. Her girlfriend is looking at her with the softest, most serene expression she has ever seen on Rachel, and she knows she made the right decision.

“No more hiding.”

“No more hiding”, Rachel echoes.

Quinn leans down and captures Rachel’s lips in what she intends to be a sweet kiss. But Rachel has other plans, as one of her hands slides up her arm until it settles behind Quinn’s neck, holding her in place as their lips meet again, and again.

Years later, when Quinn thinks back to the night she won her first Emmy, she doesn’t remember the lights, or the applause, or the famous faces that walked up to congratulate her on her win.

She remembers the taste of Rachel’s lipstick as she drowned in the burning love she felt for her wife —her girlfriend, then— backstage, in the Nokia Theatre, an Emmy in one hand, and their brilliant future ahead of them.


End file.
